Foot Massage
Foot Massage
The many benefits of foot massage include releasing endorphins, lowering heart rate, lowering blood pressure, improving balance, and assisting with mental health problems.
Foot Massage Increases Endorphins
It is no secret that endorphins are good for us. Whether through exercise or eating chocolate, endorphins act as happiness hormones, robbing us of pain and discomfort and leaving happiness in their wake
Foot Massage Activates Parts of the Brain Associated with Reward and Pain Control
One particular study looked at the effect that foot massage had on healthy adults by putting patients under an MRI scanner before the researches performed twenty seconds of massage (10). This study found activation of reward centres in the brain. Interestingly, though both hand and foot massage was used, the reward centres were only activated significantly when foot massage was performed (10). Activation of the reward centres was tied to the participants’ increased feelings of calm and a decrease in reported stress.
Foot Massage Affects Cortisol Levels (Sometimes) and Stress (Always)
Given the above, it should come as no surprise that massage of all types also influences cortisol levels
Cortisol is the stress hormone. It causes all sorts of havoc in our bodies – increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and anxiety. Foot massage significantly decreases reported stress levels across many different groups.
It goes without saying that a decrease in stress is a good thing – it enables people to go about their days without worry, leaving them with more room to think and concentrate on other things..
